July 4, 2023 at 7:11 pm

He Fired His Own Son? Did He Go Too Far?

by Matthew Gilligan

 He Fired His Own Son? Did He Go Too Far?

If someone ever says to me that they work with their family business, all I can say is…”good luck to you!”

Because I’ve heard some horror stories over the years from people who work with their parents, siblings, etc.

And the guy who wrote this post wants to know if he’s a jerk for firing his son from his company.

Read his story below and see what you think.

AITA for firing my son from family work?

“Throwaway. First language is not English but living in UK for 10 years.My wife is from UK.

This is really creating problems in the house and my wife is currently at my MILs house. My son did not leave his room for a month except going to his therapist or to take his medications.

My son (21M) has returned to our hometown 5 months ago after 3 years failing at college also failing at various jobs he worked. He was graduated as a valedictorian at high school and was accepted to a really good college so it was a really bitter 3 years for all of us watching him fail.

When he returned to the home, we gave him 2 months to rest and then he started to work at my company as an intern. I thought it would help him develop life and work skills because he did not work until college due to really hectic school schedule.

In his first month he was doing OK but at the second month he started deteriorating and he was really closed and only answered when he was asked something specific,also he started to come late and he was really looking dirty,also started to smell. His colleagues were really disturbed and one of them asked me to bring him to a therapist or call a therapist to his workplace.

I agreed and arranged a meeting with a therapist at our workplace with my son. At the end,he was diagnosed with cyclothymic depression with major episodes and therapist said he needs constant therapy and medication.

After all this news and with the complaints of my colleagues,I fired my son from the work. Well, this was big news for my wife and she accused me of infantilizing my son and never trusting. Well, I don’t. He is really incapable of taking care of himself, someone has to make him remember even to eat or take a bath or he just sleeps,wakes up and looks to the ceiling.

When I said this,she got really angry and said she was going to her mom’s house and taking our son,my son looked her and yelled “Leave!” She was scared and left the house and after that he started to cry and became a little kid. That night was hard and he was like a 10 year old in 21 year old’s body.

I am currently at home most of the times and working from home,also the surges in the COVID cases in my area made it more possible.Also we are a healthcare software company for hospitals so WFH is really possible and I only go to in person work maybe once a week.

My wife is currently looking for divorce attorneys and even my mom and dad are accusing me for finishing my marriage. They all think my son has something he can come over and I am overreacting.

The only support I have is FIL (him and MIL are divorced since my wife was a little baby) and he is currently living with us helping me taking care of him. We are taking really slow baby steps and his psychiatrist said if it wasn’t COVID, he would be hospitalized to a mental health care clinic. He currently started to eat a full meal and we are really glad.

AITA for firing my son from family work?”

Here’s how people responded to the man’s story.

This reader said this guy and his family need to get serious about this because it’s obvious that his son has a serious psychiatric illness.

Screen Shot 2023 06 16 at 9.55.37 AM He Fired His Own Son? Did He Go Too Far?

Photo Credit: Reddit

Another Reddit user said he’s NTA and his son shouldn’t be working right now.

Screen Shot 2023 06 16 at 9.55.48 AM He Fired His Own Son? Did He Go Too Far?

Photo Credit: Reddit

And this person said he needed to be fired but he seems to be in denial about how serious this is.

Screen Shot 2023 06 16 at 9.56.11 AM He Fired His Own Son? Did He Go Too Far?

Photo Credit: Reddit

Listen, if doctors are saying he should be in a mental health facility… no, this guy was completely justified.